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Summary

With a first Xenoblade Chronicles game that attracted critical acclaim under its belt, but follow-ups that failed to build on that initial audience, Nintendo is hoping to attract a new audience to the series on the Switch with a fresh start, fresh characters and a fresh setting. The chances certainly look good, with an ever-growing Switch fandom hungry for new experiences.

Indeed, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 arguably gets the title of first hardcore RPG on the Switch. The main throughline from earlier games in the series is its deep combat system. It's built on a range of elemental abilities deployed through a sentient Blade and with a dizzying array of stats at your disposal deploying your abilities at the right strategic moment will be the key to victory.

Something else that caries through, however, is the sense of awe and wonder that MonolithSoft brought to previous games. You'll journey through vast lands in the clouds, faded and broken civilisations carried on the backs of colossal beasts called titans. Controlling the hero Rex and the Blade Pyra, you'll search for your long lost home known as Elysium, the ultimate paradise for all humanity in the clouds above the World Tree. They're not the only ones searching for Elysium, however, and the quest to find it will be frought with danger...